Probation is first of all an attempt to reconstruct a potential offender, a first offender, a man who after examination by competent scientists is determined to be susceptible of reconstruction. It is aimed at the individual and not at his crime. It may be regarded, I think, as an investment by the community in humanity. Any correctional process which saves a man from a life of crime without visiting upon him the stigma of a prison commitment is a valuable process and is in the interest of protection. It is financially economical from three points of view. It may enable him to make restitution to the wronged party. It enables him to pay the fine through keeping him on probation while the fine is being paid, instead of sending him to jail where he cannot pay. It saves the state or federal government the cost of his board in prison, which is a very material item. It is an aid rather than a hindrance in the administration of justice because it opens to the court the facts about the man's past life, about his possibilities, about his industrial ability, and enables the court to give a much surer and more accurate judgment, and many times an authentic investigation by a probation officer results in a man receiving a sentence who otherwise might escape one, just as often in the name of humanity it postpones or eliminates a sentence of the man who can be more surely reconstructed by that method. It has been proven over and over again that probation wisely administered is a deterrent. Here are the two opportunities originally open to the court: A man if found guilty must either be let go or be sent to prison. When those were the only * LL.B. Director, Bureau of Prisons of the United States, since 1930; Superintendent of Federal Prisons, I929-I930; Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Correction, 1919-1929. President, American Prison Association, I926. Member, Mass. Bar. Author of numerous articles on penological problems.